The Washington critic., 1887-05-16
PETER NEY'S ROMANCE.
New Facts in the History North
Carolina SChOOlmaster.
HIS DEATH-BBD STATEMENTS
Cogcnt Reasons for believing Hin to
Have Been tho Famous French
Marshal.

but the inhabitants OF those days were
thrifty, honest and enterprIsing people.
There were no railroads then to carry of the
extra corn, cattle, tallow, hides, fur, whisky
and brandy, 60 every fall there would be
large streams OF white-top wagons rolling
southwark laden down with the surplus
from the rich farms which dotted the coun-
try along all the streams In that section,
and In few weeks these caravans would
return, bringing iron, nails, sugar, coffee
and molasses and q few other household
necessities which could not be made by the
nimble fingers Of the industrious housewife.
Charleston, 8. c., was then the great South
ern metropolls-it being the largest trading
centre on the Atlantic Slope south OF Pnila-
delphia.
After the war OF 1919 with our Mother
Country and the cessation OF hostilities with
the red man, and after National confidence
had been fully restored, those people began
in earnest to develop their beautiful and
new country. Their Efforts were crowHei
with success, and with prosperity came q
new interest In educational matters. No
section Of the Old North State can point to
that period in her history aud show better
record In the way OF educating their sons
; and daughters than can Iredell, Davie,
Rowan and other counties lying along the
east aide Of the Blue Ridge. Colleges and
high schools were not accessible, as they are
now, but as the heads Of the families pro-
cured none but good teachers for the log
cabin schools, many OF the young people of
those days received as good an education as
is often obtained now In schools Of high
grade.
Among the many good teachers who piled
the vocation in those days was one Peter s.
Ney, who first made his appearance In
South Carolina during the year 1916, and
afterwards drifted with the returning tide
Of traders to North Carolina. He was an
unusual man for that country, and was soon
recognized by all with whom he came In
contact as being man OF superior parts.
He taught In several counties and In several
different communities in each county, and
all the schools were successful. Judging
from the character of the man and from
what he would occasionally say, the older
pupils and their parents were not great
while forming the opinion that he was
THE CELEBRATED MARSHAL NEY,
Napoleon's "bravest Of the brave" who
was, according to all history, "after fifteen
sittings Of the court Of peers," condemned
to die for high treason, was shot on the 7th
day Of December, 1916, and whose "body
received ten balls and fell lifeless.n This
belief continued to grow until by the time
Of his death 1t was almost settled fact in
the minds Of those who knew him well.
He died in Rowan County and was buried
at Third Creek Church, and his friends
erected marble slab at his grave, bearing
the following inscription:
IN MEMORY OF
PETER STUART NEY,
One OF Napoleon Bonapartes Marshals and
Soldier In the French Revolution, who
died November 10, 1876 aged
n years.
AS time rolled on after the death OF
pills grew up and became more familiar
with French history and drew more com.
parsons between the celebrated Marshal
and their dead teacher, the interest increased
and, Notwithstanding the mystery which
seemed to hang over Ney and his previous
life, every one Of his old friends and pupils,
without a single exception, became fully
convinced that he was the veritable Mar.
shal. have visited the homes and talked
with great many of Ney's old pupils and
acquaintances now living In Carolina. and
herewith give some of his characteristics
and peculiarities, and some Of the reasons
those people assign for believing him to be
the world.renowned Marshal, and trust
they will be carefully considered by the
many newspaper correspondents who, dur
ing the past two or three weeks, have seen
titto regard this matter as "senseless talk, !"
and the good people OF North Carolina as
"foolish" and "ignorant dupes" for enter
tanning such ideas.
IN PERSONAL APPEARANCE
they describe Peter 8. Ney as being tall,
broaG-shoulderec, OF fully developed body,
military appearance, firm countenance,
fully defined features, large chin, piercing
eyes and bald head, with q slight fringe OF
ganlv-rOlnrph n siI
This conforms to the historic Ney who was
"robust," with "military carriage" had
"strongly marked features" "prominent
chin," "large aud elevated forehead" }"
"red hair" and who sin later life, by the
exposure which he had suffered, was rem
dered almost bald"
THE ALLEGED EXECUTION.
On several occasions when under the in
fluence Of whisky, for he loved his dram,
Ney said that he was the Marshal, and he
told the same to two or three OF his most init
mate friends when he was entirely sober. lie
said the soldiers detailed to shoot him were
his old comrades In arms, and while on the
way to the garden Of Luxembourg, tha
place of execution, they whispered aud
iold him to fall quickly at the command o.
sire" and leave the balance to them. IL.
did as they requested, Ney giving the com
nand himself, and the ten historic balls
passed over him and lodged In the wall be
hind. The officers, who were on thelr
horses near by, galloped OF as soon as Ney
fell; the attending physician, who was also
he WIS placed In coffin and turned over 10
bis friends, and soon shipped from Bor-
deaux to America, while the empty casket
was buried In Pere la Chaise, 1t Is very
plain that a scheme Of this kind could have
been easily planned and carried out, for
there was great Indignation throughout
France on account Of the proceedings
before the council OF war Marshal
Money was named president OF
the council, but he at once addressed Q
manly and indignant communication to the
King peremptorily refusing to sit In counci
against Ney, which act caused him thre,
months imprisonment. His letter Dor,
sentiments which Will consecrate his nami
he said: "And shall cOnsign TO death thu
man to whom so many Frenchmen are in
dehtCd for life; to whom so many famlie
owe their sons, their husbands or the
fathersSn Peter s. Ney was
FIRST SEEN IN SOUTH CAROLINA
In 1916, the year following the historical
date OF Marshal Ney's execution. At on,
time, some years after, he was sitting In th
corner at hotel In Darlington, s. o., whel
stranger present was telling the crowC
about his extensive trayels, and amonl
other places he had visited was that OF tn
tomb Of Marshal Ney. The old man rouset
himself up, he being partly intoxicated
and said: "You perhaps saw the monumen
erected to Ney, but he was not there
Ney's dust cannot be found in French soll.'
The first known Of Ney In North Carolin
WAS in 1917, some time after the inaugura
tiOn OF President Monroe. One day durin.
this year DR.. Schools, an educated Irish
man, who had some years previous moyei
were about to get into difficulty while dis
cusslng politics on the streets OF Mocksyille
DayIe County, and Just as the doctor drew
a dagger and was about to plunge 1t int